Techniques to Improve Your Memory

Updated on March 4, 2016

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Techniques to Improve Your Memory

When we lose our memory, we lose part of who we are, our ability to retain information may lessen as we grow older, it can be affected by the process of diseases. However, in many cases, there are techniques we can employ to sharpen and improve our memory.

Memory is all we are. Moments and feelings, captured in amber, strung on filaments of reason. Take a man's memories and you take all of him. Chip away a memory at a time and you destroy him as surely as if you hammered nail after nail through his skull.” Mark Lawrence, King of Thorns

Memory in psychology is defined as “the process in which information is encoded, stored, and retrieved. Encoding allows information that is from the outside world to reach our senses in the form of chemical and physical stimuli.” (Wikipedia).

Memory is how the brain recalls information from the past, it usually falls into three categories:

Sensory

Long term

Short term.

We acquire new information that we consolidate and store within the brain for retrieval or recall for later use. But as we grow older, this process can become more challenging.

Memory loss, also known as amnesia, occurs when an individual loses the ability to retain certain information that they would normally be able to remember.

Memory Loss And Aging

The world's population is continuing to grow older, according to recent statistics, by 2050, over 1/5 of the US population will be 65 or older, study suggests that life expectancy will surpass 100 in some industrialized countries by the second half of this century.

World population is aging rapidly, Japan, (23% over 65), Germany (20.5%) Italy (20.4% ) U S (13%. ). Countries like Iran, Vietnam, Mexico, India, and South Korea are showing the fastest rate of change in population age.

The social and economic ramifications will be a shrinking labour force and a large part of the nation's budget diverted to health care. The challenge for the future is how individuals can reduce the rate of decline in old age. For people who can remain healthy and mentally active, brain function need not decline with age.

Research shows that a lifetime of active learning, intellectual stimulus and levels of education can help to prevent or delay conditions such as Alzheimer's. While a degree of deterioration in short-term memory is not uncommon in the older population, keeping the brain active can slow down changes due to the aging process.

New research published in an American Academy of Neurology online issue of the medical journal of Neurology, suggests that reading, writing, and other brain stimulating activities could preserve memory irrespective of age.

It is encouraging to know that by using our brain for as long as possible we can preserve more of it, a case of "use it or lose it."

Brain scan technology shows that aging can cause changes in the brain. These changes do not prevent us from living a full and active life. Age-related memory loss may be an inconvenience, even embarrassing at times, most of us know how silly we feel when we forget the name of someone we really ought to remember. However; memory loss can also be a symptom of some serious conditions. Therefore; before dismissing memory loss simply as a side effect of aging, it would be prudent to get a medical check. A thorough medical examination will help to exclude potentially dangerous conditions.

Cognitive Function

Cognition refers to the mental action of acquiring knowledge and understanding through experience and the senses, remembering, perceiving and thinking.

Cognitive abilities are said to be at the greatest in our 30s and 40s; it remains at this level until the late 50s and 60s and then declines to a small degree. However; the effect of these cognitive changes is not typically apparent until around the age of 70, with wide variations in abilities.

A study performed over the period of a lifetime found that by age 81, only 30 to 40 percent of the participants demonstrated a significant decline in mental ability, 2/3 show a small decrease, and only in particular skills.

The brain is an incredible feat of engineering, it may never completely divulge all of its secrets, but some we know. We all have memory lapses, we all forget things now and again. We know that growing older means we will lose some of our capacity to remember and retain certain information.

In some cases, there are changes in thinking skills, as a result of aging, but this does not necessarily progress to dementia and Alzheimer's.

Older people often have trouble remembering things like telephone numbers; they'll often misplace objects such as door keys, wallet, and spectacles. My husband repeats a little ditty before going through the front door on his way to work, “ testicles, spectacles, wallet, and watch.” The ditty used to be funny; now it's a necessity. It can also be useful for remembering the sign of the cross.

Memory loss can be a scary thing, especially when experienced for the first time. It is not only frightening for the person who is directly affected, but also for loved ones who may fear the worst, and jump to the conclusion that the memory loss is due to dementia or Alzheimer's when it is rarely the case.

Most people who are experiencing memory loss, often hesitate before contacting their GP, the reluctance to consult a doctor about memory problems is because they are afraid that they will be diagnosed with Alzheimer's or in some cases, that they may be fobbed off as getting old. However, there are many conditions other than age and Alzheimer's disease that can cause memory loss, they include:

Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) this condition slows down metabolism, can impact on thinking process and memory.

Memory Improving Techniques

A healthy body is a healthy mind, when we protect the brain by maintaining habits that are health promoting such as sufficient sleep, good nutritious diet, proper hydration and plenty of exercises, we not only gain a healthy body but we can also improve memory.

Memory Improving Techniques includes:

Get Enough Sleep, Insufficient sleep may cause forgetfulness. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7-8 hour of sleep for people above the age of 65.

Regular Exercise improves supply of oxygen and nutrition to the brain

Socializing, research shows that life with fun and friends can be beneficial to thinking and memory.

A healthy relationship, interacting with others is probably the best way to exercise the brain; relationships can stimulate not only our emotions but also the brain.

Humans are not very good at going it alone, research from the Harvard School of Public Health show that people with the most active social lives exhibited the slowest rate of decline in memory.

Pets, get a dog, dogs are very social, they are known to be able to help us reduce stress, encourages us to take regular exercise, and they do not judge or answer back. Well..not usually.

Laughter is the best medicine when we laugh we engage different areas of the brain. Psychologist, Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, states that “ laughter...seems to help people think more broadly and associate more freely.” telling, listening, and working out the punch line to jokes will engage the brain.

Learn to laugh at yourself, spending time with people who are fun relaxed and playful, can be beneficial, laughter helps us to produce more feel-good hormones. Emulating children can be good fun when it comes to playing they are the experts.

Reduce You Stress Levels

Eat Healthy diet to boost the brain

Work Your Brain

Mnemonic Devices, these are memory devices that help learners recall large pieces of information.

Pay attention

Involve as many senses as possible

Learn to Relate Information to what you already know

Rehearse information that you have already learned, connect new information to what you already know

Practice basic ideas, instead of memorizing, practice explaining the concept to someone in your own words

Socialize and enjoy life, friends provide challenges, a chance to share experiences, they'll help to motivate and encourage engagement in new pursuits.

How to Improve your Memory By Eating The Right Foods

Foods for healthy brain and Memory; healthy eating tips

Eating the right type of food can improve memory, lift the mood and help concentration.

The average brain weighs approximately 3lbs, just a fraction of the total body weight, but it consumes about 20 percent of the daily calorie intake. A brain-healthy diet is essential to maintain the brain in good working order. The right food can boost memory, improve mood and keep the intellect sharp.

The brain and the rest of the body communicate through electric signals known as neurotransmitters (chemicals), and through hormones. However, for the neurotransmitter and hormones to function properly they must have the right nutrition.

A diet of oily fish three times a week will provide enough omega-3 oils, if not possible, a supplement can be taken, Omega-3 oil is also found in walnuts, pumpkin and flax seed it is an excellent brain food.

Eating regular healthy meals will help concentration, try three meals per day and snack on seeds, fruits and walnuts.

A key neurotransmitter is dopamine, also known as the feel good messenger. High levels of dopamine increase positive emotions like pleasure and enthusiasm, however, low levels can result in the opposite negative emotions like boredom, irritation, sadness and emptiness.

Sugary and fatty foods can cause a surge in dopamine levels, but unfortunately, a positive surge usually follows an equally sharp negative drop. Eating slow release protein-rich food can help to maintain dopamine levels.

Anti-oxidant nutrients are vital to prevent free radical damage to the fatty acid in the brain. Flavonoids like grape seed and bilberry extract can help to prevent inflammation.

B vitamins and betaine to prevent nerve damages caused by homocysteine. Manganese in diet or as a supplement may help to prevent Tau protein tangles found in Alzheimer's patients.

For concerns about memory loss: contact doctor or health care provider for an initial assessment. Information on family and medical history, lifestyle and symptoms will be taken to help identify the cause (s) of memory loss, and to get an accurate diagnosis. If necessary, a blood check can be done.

Lycopene in Tomato may help to protect against free radical damage to brain cells

57 comments

Hi aesta, whenever I forget to take my fish oil, ginseng and Ginkgo I'm in real trouble, those senior moments and mental glitches can be scary, so it's good to keep those little grey cells active. This is where sites like HP can be helpful. Thank you so much for taking a look at this hub, I hope you found it useful. Take care and my best always.

aesta1 22 months ago from Ontario, Canada

What was that I just read? Ha...many times, I can't remember names of persons or places. My husband is the same but between the two of us, we try to. Our minds are active but there are details that are hard to bring back to mind.

tobusiness 2 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Vellur, memory loss at a certain time in our lives goes with the territory, but yes it can be scary. We can only do what we can to stay active and healthy, the brain is like a muscle, if we keep on using it, keeping it active it will serve us well. I find that omega-3 fish oil works for me, that is, when I can remember to take it. :)

Thank you for reading this and for the comment. Take care and my best to you.

Vellur 2 years ago from Dubai

The very thought of memory loss scares me, thanks for sharing this informative hub.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Susan, thank you for taking a look at this, much appreciated.

Susan Recipes 3 years ago from India

Thanks for sharing this very useful post. Voted up and useful.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi georgescifo, It's good to know you've enjoyed this. Thank you for the visit and great comment, much appreciated and my best to you .

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Paul, you are so very kind! Thank you for the visit, the wonderful comment and the share, I really do appreciate your generosity. You have the right idea, writing for sites such as Hub Pages will certainly help to maintain cerebral agility, according the research, and with years of teaching, you already have a head start. Good luck in your retirement.

georgescifo 3 years ago from India

Thanks for this amazing tips for improving memory power. Really enjoyed the hub.

Paul Kuehn 3 years ago from Udorn City, Thailand

Jo, This is an awesome hub which I am also voting up as being interesting and useful. Getting involved in full-time English teaching was the best thing I did for my brain after I retired from government work. I have learned a lot about education and my daily interactions with teachers and students have really stimulated me. I will retire from full-time school teaching next year, but I will keep busy writing more on Hubpages and other media sites and interacting with the other writers there. Voted up and sharing with followers. Also Pinning And sharing on Facebook.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Vinaya, meditation sounds like a good idea, unfortunately I'm not very disciplined, much too impatient, so I just take regular omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil, and continue with the exercises. :)

Thank you for the visit and lovely comment, always appreciated.

Vinaya Ghimire 3 years ago from Nepal

As I grow older, I have felt my brain is not as sharp as it used to be when I was in teens. I practice meditation to calm my mind.

Thanks for sharing this useful and informative hub.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Doc, it's always a pleasure to see you, stop by as often as you like, short term memory lapse gets us every time, but surely, you are far too young! :).

In spite of his little ditty, my husband still takes around two or three trips to the car before he can finally set off to work, so long as we don't lose it at the same time we're ok, HP is a great way to keep the brain fit and active, it certainly works for me.

Many thanks for the visit and lovely comment, take care and my best as always.

lovedoctor926 3 years ago

Useful information, very well-presented. I had already left you a comment. I don't remember reading this. j/k. I found the testicles, spectacles, wallet and key concept hilarious. It's important to keep your brain sharp. I'm working on a crossword puzzle now as we speak.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Rosemay, lovely to see you! Thank you so much for the visit and insightful comment. Unfortunately, as we grow older disruption in the short term memory goes with the territory :). However, it's always a good idea to get the doctor to check it out, and stock up on the omega 3 fish oil and oily fish :).

Take care and my best to you.

Rosemay50 3 years ago from Hawkes Bay - NewZealand

A useful hub with some great suggestions. At 63 I find my short term memory is not as good as it used to be. I can walk into a room and forget why I went there. Lol. but names are my worst to remember, I can watch a TV saop every week and still can't bring a name to mind on the spur of the moment. I try to keep my brain working well by reading and learning and doing puzzles, especially logical puzzles.

My long term memory is good, in fact the more i think about the past the more I remember,

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Theresa, sorry it took me so long to respond to this comment, We've just arrived in Salisbury on a long weekend away. Trying out our not so new caravan and typically it's raining!

Thank you so much for taking a look at this, always appreciated. When it comes to age related memory lapses I'm way ahead of you, I 'll be 60 next June and I really have to keep the brain active, however, I found that the omega 3 fish oil helps a lot. Sorry to hear about your dad, diabetes is such an awful condition. Take care now, and my best to you,I think it's time to go find the kettle.

phdast7 3 years ago from Atlanta, Georgia

A great hub Jo. Well written, easy to understand, and full of helpful suggestions and advice. As I just turned 59, your hub is oh so relevant to me. I do forget names more that I used to although I often "recognize" faces and voices but can't pull up the matching name.

During class lectures I am occasionally stumped for a word (always 1 or 2 syllable -- crazily, I never get stuck on 3, 4, 5 syllable words -- what is that all about!), but my students and I laugh about it and sooner or later one of us comes up with the right word.

My father had diabetic dementia by 72, so I am a little nervous, but I do use my mind and read and learn new words all the time. I used to do more puzzle type things, I should probably go back to that. You have given me much food for thought. :) Theresa

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Suzette, how lovely to see you!...it's good to have personal confirmation that the suggestions actually works. The brain drives everything, we need to look after it.

Looks like you're doing all the right things, take care and my best to you.

suzettenaples 3 years ago from Taos, NM

Great hub, Jo. I am entering that age where the memory starts to go. Your advice and suggestions are great. I have been using them for years and it does help with the memory. I have the doctor check my memory every couple of years and so far so good. Staying active and laughing are the keys to keeping your memory and feeling young. I love the brain images that go along with this hub. Thanks for sharing your knowledge in this area.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Anna, lovely to see you!...The brain is pretty remarkable but it does need a lot of energy, a bit like a high performance vehicle :). However; it also need looking after to keep it performing.

Thank you so much for stopping by, much appreciated and my best to you.

Anna Haven 3 years ago from Scotland

Well researched, written and presented. An excellent job on a subject which is relevant to us all. The calorie requirement of the brain was surprising. Great job. Anna

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Kim, you're right, HP is certainly challenging, which makes it a very good way to keep the brain active. I hope your hubby will not be needing the ditty any time soon, but since many of us are pushing our retirement further and further away it's going to take all four to survive out there. :)

My best as always.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Eddy, I much appreciate the visit, comment and vote. My very best.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Frank, a pleasure as always, my best to you.

Frank Atanacio 3 years ago from Shelton

toobusiness Memory recall or retain is so important these tips will help prove valuable as we all get older and memories fade a great tool you have here in this hub :)

Eiddwen 3 years ago from Wales

Very useful advice for so many od us I a sure. Thank you for sharing and I vote up.

Eddy.

ocfireflies 3 years ago from North Carolina

Jo,

Per usual, you have produced stellar work and on such an important topic. One of the things that being on HP has done for me is one of the things you suggest, and that is having social interactions which for an agoraphobic can be problematic. Voted Up/Shared.

Wishing you a great day and week. Also, plan on sharing your husband's little ditty with my significant other. Smiles.

Best to you,

Kim

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Love Doc, thank you for this brilliant and insightful comment!!...You're right of course, blueberries are one of the super fruits and I must have my fish oil or the brain is like a sieve. We must keep the brain active for as long as we can. I hope you're having a wonderful Sunday, my very best to you.

lovedoctor926 3 years ago

A very well-presented hub. I agree with your points. Eat lots of blueberries, this one doctor on television refers to them as brain berries. They're sweet and addicting too. I like to put them inside my yogurt and eat as a snack. I eat a lot of fish too. Fish oil supplements as well as B vitamins keeps the memory sharp. I agree with the medical journal study that we should keep our brains stimulated. Patients who suffer from dementia should look through pictures one of my brother's friend who is a doctor told him. his mom was recently diagnosed. Anyway, I've read that crossword puzzles and table tennis are great activities as well. voted up useful

kidscrafts 3 years ago from Ottawa, Canada

You are too kind, Jo! I still have a lot to learn in English!

Good for you to pick up cherries and share them! I am sure your team will enjoy them :-)

I am picking up red currants in my backyard.... it's a great year for red currants so I invited some friends to pick some as well and there is plenty for the birds as well!

Have a great week!

Joelle

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Lurana, lovely to see you!!..thanks for stopping by and for the great comment, so glad you found it useful, I must admit, I learn a lot by doing these health hubs. Have a wonderful Sunday, my best to you as always.

MrsBrownsParlour 3 years ago from Chicagoland, Illinois

Really useful information! You write about such relevant and interesting topics and make health info reader-friendly. :-) Lurana

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Kidscrafts, not only do you write brilliantly, but you also have a talent for art and in two languages!!..Your brain is doing pretty well :)....dogs are great, but cats are good also, I think just watching animals could be relaxing. I've just been picking cherries to take to my team at work, It was lovely watching the birds and the bees in the garden, I'm now well chilled. Thank you for stopping by it's always a pleasure to see you. My best as always

kidscrafts 3 years ago from Ottawa, Canada

What a great hub, Jo!

I had a great fear of writing but since I work on the web, I had no choice of writing .... and I do it in two languages. Since I started to write so much, I realized that I improved my memory and I was more focused. It's very interesting! I didn't expected that!

By the way, I don't have a dog.... is a cat OK? My younger cat keeps me on my toes because he is stealing some of my projects or craft materials and I have to run after him to get them back!

Thanks for sharing this great article! Enjoy your Sunday!

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

SavannahEve, now that was an awesome comment!.. Thank you; you're very kind and very generous and I really appreciate you taking the time to read and share this. My best to you.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Jackie, I'm touched by your lovely comment...so sorry about your Mum!..Caring for a loved one with alzheimers can be testing, it can utterly consume the lives of everyone around, I guess it takes a lot of love. Thank you for taking the time to read this, very much appreciated.

SavannahEve 3 years ago from California

One of the most impressive and interesting hubs I've ever come across! Well done! Great photos, great info. I actually am going to read it a few more times and send it to my sister! Blessings!

Jackie Lynnley 3 years ago from The Beautiful South

This is very good. Having had a mother with Alzheimer's I try to be very aware of the many facts you have given so am aware to know what a thorough job you have done. ^ and sharing.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Devika, Yes, you're so right, the brain is a pretty important piece of hardware, but like most things, as we get older it need a bit more TLC. Always a pleasure to see you, take care and my very best to you.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Nichellewebster, thank you so much for stopping by, much appreciated and I'm glad you enjoyed the hub. My best to you.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Martin, so nice to see you!...I try to write about the things I can also benefit from, but wouldn't necessarily take the time to do the research. Two birds with one stone. :)

Thank you for stopping by, I very much appreciate it, and my best as always.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Faith, commenting from the phone can get pretty tricky, especially when we are in a hurry, you ought to see some of my typos! ....I can't believe how nimble the youngsters are on them, but I think we're doing OK!!.. :)

Thank you so much for taking the time from you lunch break, and for returning to share, you're pretty special. Big Hug and my best to you.

DDE 3 years ago from Dubrovnik, Croatia

Incredible hub the title says it all and you managed to inform us about our most valuable part of us the memory an informative and interesting read.

nichellewebster 3 years ago from Silicon Valley

Interesting hub, and I loved the photographs you chose.

Mhatter99 3 years ago from San Francisco

Thank you for going through the effort and work to bring us this information.

Faith Reaper 3 years ago from southern USA

Hi Jo,

Came back to share, and I see I am not very good at using my phone in commenting there while on my lunch break! lol

Yes, Fish Oil is excellent and another hubber friend was telling me about that very thing too just last night.

Thanks for the great insight here and helpful tips to improve our memories for a better quality of life.

You're the best! Have a lovely weekend.

Hugs to you and yours.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Wetnose, lovely to see you!...the dogs are all special in their own ways. My little Jack Russell must always have the last word. :)

I hope you and the gang are well, thank you very much for stopping by, much appreciated and my best to you.

wetnosedogs 3 years ago from Alabama

Great article.

I had to chuckle at the part about the dogs. My dogs keep me going. My youngest dog doesn't judge, but she is the one that has to bark out her two cents.

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Rose, so glad you found this useful....now...I just need to remember how to put it all into practice. It's no fun growing old, despite what the research says. :)

Thank you so much for taking a look, always appreciated and my best to you.

rose-the planner 3 years ago from Toronto, Ontario-Canada

This was an excellent article Jo! I must say that memory loss is such a frightening thing. You have provided some important information. Thank you for sharing. By the way, love the cartoon, lol! (Voted Up)

-Rose

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Hi Faith, this one is such a pain, we just have to keep active and keep taking the fish oil. :)

Always a pleasure to see you, I hope all is well. My best as always.

JO.

Faith Reaper 3 years ago from southern USA

Wow Jo, this us such a comprehensive look at memory issues! Very useful and interesting hub. I do need to stay hydrated more for sure. Voted up across except gunny Blessings, Faith Reaper. Oh sharing to if I can gey my phone to do right lol

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Kashmir my friend, many thanks for taking a look.... always a pleasure to see you, I hope all is well.

My best to you.

kashmir56 3 years ago from Massachusetts

Hi my friend great article with very interesting and useful information . At my age i too have to keep my mind active and the gray matter working to keep my memory up and running . Well done !

tobusiness 3 years ago from Bedfordshire, U.K Author

Bill, you and me both!...My friend, we may not make our fortune writing online, but hopefully we'll be giving the grey matter a darn good working out. My very best to you, take care now.

billybuc 3 years ago from Olympia, WA

What did you do, Jo, decide to write a hub about me? LOL

Without a doubt my memory is not as good as it was twenty years ago. It is something I have to work at now instead of it naturally being there for me....lots of sleep, exercise and increased concentration are what work best for me.

Great information and suggestions my friend....let's see, what was your name again???? LOL